NYFW F/W17 Day 1

With Bay Area Fashionista on our first attempt to walk out the door in the midst of a snowstorm!

Wednesday, 2:00pm
We arrived at Newark airport a whopping 1 hour early to weather that made me think I was still in California.

3:00pm
Twenty minutes later we were already checked into our hotel, which made this the fastest, smoothest arrival we’ve experienced to date. After a nightmare start to the February 2016 shows (anyone remember my lost luggage?), this trip couldn’t have begun any better.

Two key changes we made to our trip since we first started attending NYFW were to stay in Soho – within walking distance to Skylight – and arrive on Wednesday. My goodness, what a difference this made! Instead of frantically running to back-to-back shows the moment we landed, we got to ease into the eye of the storm and attend several shows we normally have to miss.

6:00pm
We had one appointment on Wednesday – a presentation by Becken – and an influencer happy hour where I got to reconnect with blogger friends from around the country.

Becken is the brainchild of designer Chris Gelinas (of label CG). Their aim is “fashion for the grounded woman with nothing to prove,” and featured classic knit and outerwear of a more conservative nature than Gelinas’ more glamorous line, CG.

I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie of @hernewtribe, sister of Happily Grey at the show, and we swapped stories about the planning and work that goes into attending NYFW. We laughed over how it’s as much work as it is fun – talk about extremes!

Thursday, 10:00am
When we looked out our hotel window on (official) Day 1 our jaws hit the floor. The entire city was covered in a blanket of fresh snow. I opted for a mulberry boilersuit by Brooklyn label As Ever. Paired with my Acne Studios beanie, it was the perfect look to stand up to the snow and caught the attention of several street style photographers. Later, I happily discovered I’d made Nylon’s Best Dressed of NYFW Day 1!

As Ever boilersuit // J. Crew turtleneck // Dorateymur booties // Fendi bag // Acne Studios beanie

Nicholas K
Nicholas K opened with a neutral color palette that transitioned to bold reds and subdued purples. Multi-layered separates that included tied sleeves around waistlines and shoulders were featured in crushed velvet with metallic accents. This is good news for anyone who invested in velvet pieces for Fall 2016 – six months from now, those items will still hold up nicely!

Inspired by the communal diversity of the 1990’s, the brand accessorized each look with Che Guevara-esque berets or large, single hoop earrings, paying a nod to the golden age of hip hop with a dash of rebellion. Rob Swift and Latasha Alcinor gave a live performance, kicking off the first official show of NYFW with rap and 90’s flair.

Tadashi Shoji
Ever the master of elegance, Tadashi was inspired by seductive nightclub vibes for F/W17. This edgier air featured his signature lace dresses, velvet jumpsuits and brocade in a jewel-toned palette of amethyst, sapphire, emerald and ruby. Even though this was only our second runway show, the trends already began to emerge – velvet is king in a world still heavily inspired by the 70’s and 90’s. My favorite looks were Tadashi’s silver jumpsuit – so Studio 54 – and his closing look – a pink sequins gown with Juliet shoulders and an open back.

Noon by Noor
From maximalist to minimalist we went. Noon by Noor showed an entirely neutral color palette accented by the deepest shade of navy. Masculine suiting morphed feminine with nipped waistlines and peplum draping. I especially loved the line’s use of faux fur, highlighted in their giant teddy bear coats (swoon). Another interesting element was their use of florals – something also seen at Tadashi – which is expected for spring, but feels so fresh and invigorating for fall. As this was my first Noon by Noor show, I left with an even deeper appreciation for the brand’s subtle, yet exquisite details.

Michael Costello
Being in the audience at a Michael Costello show is F-U-N. Not only was there a giant pink Care Bear making the rounds before the show, but audible cheers and applause accompanied each look for this veteran Project Runway star. And rightly so. The F/W17 Michael Costello woman was fierce, edgy and rock-n-roll to the core.

His show opened with a series of sheer, white lace gowns with strong shoulders, corseted waistlines and voluminous bell sleeves. Not for the faint of heart, he hit us hard before transitioning into black, silk draped numbers reminiscent of early Halston. They too packed quite a punch before the show-stopping head-to-toe sequins numbers that made up his finale. I can absolutely see these pieces on Grammy winners and red carpet sirens this fall.

Tune in tomorrow for my recap of NYFW Day 2!

Photos by Matthew Passiglia